Can you just jump out of Hyperspace into Normal space, without knowing where you're going. Or do you have to give coordinates that are within your jump range?

Chilli

August 20th 07 18:34

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoshFan
(Post 306719)

Sure, but would they then be able to find the hyperspace route home? Cortez might have been able to jump out and find where it is in normal space, but they'd probably hop back in and be even more lost in hyperspace than before.

That's a valid point, I guess. Well .. not quite sure.

I know that hyperspace is quite complex, and that you can't map hyperspace 1:1 to normal space. However, if you couldn't to SOME degree do it, wouldn't ships forever fail to find beacons? With the knowledge of their location in normal space, wouldn't the Cortez know where to SORT OF look for the closest beacon, head in that direction, and eventually resore contact with it?

Unless, of course, the beacons are all extremely close to eachother - close enough that one of them is always in your visual range, making beacons a "rope" you follow along from beginning to end along your trip.

Chilli

August 20th 07 18:36

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sindatur
(Post 306724)

Can you just jump out of Hyperspace into Normal space, without knowing where you're going. Or do you have to give coordinates that are within your jump range?

As I understand it, a "jump" is the construction of a temporary bridge between normal space and hyperspace. I don't think you need to know where you're jumping to open a jump port.

One danger would be jumping into an solid object, if jumping blindly. However, the odds of that happening would be practically zero.

Skander

August 20th 07 22:35

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

I rated this episode "Good", probably a little higher than I probably should because there are some aesthetic characteristics that I've always loved about the episode. The musical score for this episode by Christopher Franke was awesome, especially the music when we see the Explorer ship--The Cortez (definitely weird choice of name, though). I also loved how the ship looked--it explores and builds jumpgates, so it should look like a flying construction site. I enjoyed Maynard's character well enough, even if the Stinky-Swamp Rat bit was a little cheesy. The ambience at Earhart's was nice and the one-shot characters (Commander Galis and Captain Maynard) played off the regulars really well. You also get a glimpse of the Shadows and that's always enough to perk me up--I liked all the episodes that only hinted at the presence of the powerful Darkness (Distant Star, Signs + Portents, Coming of Shadows, etc.)

Sure, but would they then be able to find the hyperspace route home? Cortez might have been able to jump out and find where it is in normal space, but they'd probably hop back in and be even more lost in hyperspace than before.

That's precisely how I would explain it.

Sure enough, if your jump engines work (I'm not sure if Cortez had them functional or not) you can pop out into normal space... and go home by the long route, which probably takes about 300 years. :p

Attempting to go home by the short route would require ability to see "through" hyperspace, and define structures found there in terms of normal-space geometry... which, as implied, is overwhelmingly hard.

Hyperspace is described as opaque to almost anything, except very few things (the tachyon or whatever-they-were-called beams maintained between beacons), so you cannot see far enough. Also, hyperspace is implied to have a geometry which is rather different and difficult to link to normal space.

So that's why, as far as I understand, a ship which cannot navigate hyperspace (either by using beacons or otherwise), would not benefit much from having an intact jump engine.

But they could jump around blindly, and unless they jumped into a solid object or lethally uninhabitable area, they might jump near some habitable planet or viable source of natural resources. Which could make it possible to sustain trying for longer, or even amass enough useful resources to survive a trip home in normal space.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chilli
(Post 306733)

As I understand it, a "jump" is the construction of a temporary bridge between normal space and hyperspace. I don't think you need to know where you're jumping to open a jump port.

I've understood it that way too.

Quote:

One danger would be jumping into an solid object, if jumping blindly. However, the odds of that happening would be practically zero.

Unless hyperspace is "bigger" where normal space has more mass, or objects in hyperspace drift towards normal-space centers of mass. But that's just an idea to play with.

G'Kar

February 5th 09 00:57

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

Just watched this episode and I've come to the conclusion that a B to a B- seems fit for it. While it's not part of the best of Season 2 it does serve it's purpose of being a source of character development needed for Keffer and Sheridan.

vacantlook

February 5th 09 01:51

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

And it gives us more exposure to the Shadows.

Estelyn

May 27th 10 00:28

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

I too noticed and enjoyed the music that was used when the Cortez appeared. The series theme was also varied for the fighter ships, with a military undertone to it.

The "food plan" subplot was a nice touch of humour. I was disappointed at the end though - Garibaldi's tear-jerking story should have been a fake. I would have thought he'd invented it to appease Franklin - it doesn't feel genuine to me.

I had a déjà vu when Delenn said, "Understanding is not required, only obedience." Didn't Lennier say the same words earlier in the series?

KoshFan

May 27th 10 01:11

Re: EpDis: A Distant Star

I think it's the other way around on that, actually -- Lennier quotes her later on. But I'm just doing that from memory, I'm not sure.